With the global emphasis on sustainable energy and eco-friendly mobility, the electric vehicle (EV) industry is experiencing unprecedented growth opportunities. In this EV revolution, Silicon Carbide (SiC) is becoming the industry's new favorite material, and its unique physical properties are revolutionizing the performance of EVs.
The limited space inside an electric vehicle makes the size of power devices extremely demanding, and SiC devices, with their superior power density, allow for a significant reduction in package size, as well as a reduction in the size of the supporting passive components and heat sinks. This is particularly important for electric vehicles that seek compact designs.
The use of SiC modules in the main inverter can significantly improve system efficiency by about 5% compared to conventional silicon (Si)-based IGBT modules. This means that EVs can get longer range with the same battery capacity, or reduce the battery capacity with the same range, thus lowering the overall vehicle cost.
As the battery voltage of electric vehicles increases, SiC's high voltage withstand characteristics make it show unparalleled advantages in high-voltage applications. Especially in battery systems above 800V, the high-temperature, high-frequency, and high-voltage characteristics of SiC devices make them ideal for high-voltage systems in electric vehicles.
The fast switching characteristics of SiC devices not only reduce switching losses, but also improve overall system efficiency. This is critical to improving the range and performance of electric vehicles.
The stability of SiC devices in high-temperature environments has led to their widespread use in critical components such as inverters and chargers in electric vehicles. High thermal conductivity also means that SiC devices can operate reliably at higher temperatures, reducing the need for heat dissipation and improving system reliability.
Despite the high initial cost of SiC devices, their contribution to battery cost reduction and range improvement has resulted in effective control of vehicle costs. As SiC technology continues to mature and scale production advances, its cost-effectiveness will become more apparent.
As the electric vehicle market continues to expand and technology continues to advance, SiC power devices are expected to be more widely used in the electric vehicle industry. Automakers and suppliers are increasing their investments in research, development and production of SiC power ICs to meet the growing market demand.
These advantages of SiC materials portend an increasingly important role in the future of electric vehicles. As technology continues to evolve and costs decrease, SiC is expected to be a key driver for the electric vehicle industry.
